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PubMed2008

Phenotypic and genetic diversity of rhizobia isolated from nodules of the legume genera Astragalus, Lespedeza and Hedysarum in northwestern China.

Twenty-nine rhizobial isolates from root nodules of the wild Legumes Astragalus, Lespedeza and Hedysarum growing in the northwestern region of China, were characterized by numerical taxonomy, RFLP and sequencing of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA genes, and cross-nodulation with selected Legume species. Based on the results from numerical taxonomy, the isolates could be divided into two main groups (Clusters 1 and 2) and some single isolates at 82% similarity. CLuster 1 contained six isolates from Astragalus, Lespedeza and Hedysarum spp. Cluster 2 consisted of nine isolates from Astragalus and Hedysarum species. The phytogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that SH199, representing cluster 1, belonged to the Rhizobium-Agrobacterium group, and SH290B, representing cluster 2, was closely related to R. galegae and R. huautlense.

Astragalus Plant↗
PubMed2006

Effects of Astragalus membranaceus and its main components on the acute phase endothelial dysfunction induced by homocysteine.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and its main components, astragalus saponin (ASP), astragalus polysaccharide (APS) and aminobutyric acid (GABA), on homocysteine (Hcy) induced acute impairment of vascular tone and to explore whether the antioxidant mechanism was involved in AM protective effect. METHODS: Inhibitory effects of Hcy and protective effects of AM and its main components on endothelium-dependent relaxation of aortic rings were determined by isometric tension recordings and nitric oxide signaling was assayed with 125I-cGMP RIA Kit. Furthermore, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in endothelial cells was detected using 5-(6)-chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (CM-H2DCF-DA). RESULTS: Hcy significantly inhibited endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine (ACh) in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased cGMP levels increased by ACh in aorta. Furthermore, superoxide dismutase (SOD), AM, and ASP markedly attenuated inhibition of vasorelaxation and downregulation of cGMP level by Hcy, and APS exerted a tendency to reverse both of the depressive responses, while GABA had no similar effects. Additionally, partially impaired relaxation by Hcy was completely blocked due to the presence of N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME), which could not be further altered by treatment with AM, ASP, APS or GABA. Finally, Hcy significantly increased intracellular ROS levels in endothelial cells as measured by CM-H2DCF-DA fluorescence. SOD, AM, ASP, and APS, but not GABA, inhibited Hcy-stimulated ROS generation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that AM and ASP, potently protected endothelium-dependent relaxation against the acute injury from Hcy through nitric oxide regulatory pathways, in which antioxidation played a key role.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2003

Characterization of rhizobia isolated from legume species within the genera Astragalus and Lespedeza grown in the Loess Plateau of China and description of Rhizobium loessense sp. nov.

Twenty-nine rhizobial isolates from root nodules of Astragalus and Lespedeza spp. growing in the Loess Plateau of China were characterized by numerical taxonomy, RFLP and sequencing of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes, measurement of DNA G+C content, DNA-DNA relatedness and cross-nodulation with selected legume species. Based on the results of numerical taxonomy, the isolates formed two clusters (1 and 2) with some single isolates at a similarity level of 82 %. Cluster 1 contained six isolates from Astragalus and Lespedeza spp. Cluster 2 consisted of nine isolates from Astragalus spp. DNA relatedness was greater than 80 % among isolates within cluster 2. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that CCBAU 7190B(T), representing cluster 2, was closely related to Rhizobium galegae and Rhizobium huautlense. DNA-DNA relatedness between CCBAU 7190B(T) and reference strains of R. galegae, R. huautlense and other related species ranged from 0 to 48.6 %. The cluster 2 isolates could also be differentiated phenotypically from related species. Based on these data, a novel species, Rhizobium loessense sp. nov., is proposed for cluster 2, with the type strain CCBAU 7190B(T) (=AS1.3401(T)=LMG 21975(T)).

Astragalus Plant↗
PubMed2005

Analysis of sulfur and selenium assimilation in Astragalus plants with varying capacities to accumulate selenium.

Several Astragalus species have the ability to hyperaccumulate selenium (Se) when growing in their native habitat. Given that the biochemical properties of Se parallel those of sulfur (S), we examined the activity of key S assimilatory enzymes ATP sulfurylase (ATPS), APS reductase (APR), and serine acetyltransferase (SAT), as well as selenocysteine methyltransferase (SMT), in eight Astragalus species with varying abilities to accumulate Se. Se hyperaccumulation was found to positively correlate with shoot accumulation of S-methylcysteine (MeCys) and Se-methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys), in addition to the level of SMT enzymatic activity. However, no correlation was observed between Se hyperaccumulation and ATPS, APR, and SAT activities in shoot tissue. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing both ATPS and APR had a significant enhancement of selenate reduction as a proportion of total Se, whereas SAT overexpression resulted in only a slight increase in selenate reduction to organic forms. In general, total Se accumulation in shoots was lower in the transgenic plants overexpressing ATPS, PaAPR, and SAT. Root growth was adversely affected by selenate treatment in both ATPS and SAT overexpressors and less so in the PaAPR transgenic plants. Such observations support our conclusions that ATPS and APR are major contributors of selenate reduction in planta. However, Se hyperaccumulation in Astragalus is not driven by an overall increase in the capacity of these enzymes, but rather by either an increased Se flux through the S assimilatory pathway, generated by the biosynthesis of the sink metabolites MeCys or MeSeCys, or through an as yet unidentified Se assimilation pathway.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed2000

RAPD analysis of Astragalus medicines marketed in Taiwan.

The genetic variability of Astragalus medicine materials sold by twenty randomly selected stores in Taiwan was investigated using RAPD analysis in order to obtain available primers which could clearly differentiate among them. Total DNA isolated from the rhizomes of the samples were used as templates, and sixty 10 mer arbitrary primers were used in the analysis. The aim of the present study is to construct an identification model of molecular biotechniques applicable to Chinese herbal medicines in RAPD analysis. Three of the primers, OPT-03, OPT-13, and OPT-17, revealed polymorphic RAPD fingerprints among the samples of Astragalus membranaceus, and between Astragalus membranaceus and Hedysarum polybotrys samples. SSCP analysis was also conducted on PCR products from the ITS-1 region of ribosomal DNA in order to differentiate the two species.

Astragalus propinquus↗
PubMed2026

Complete chloroplast genomes of endemic Astragalus and Oxytropis species from Uzbekistan.

Chloroplast genomes provide important insights into plant phylogeny, genome evolution, and molecular marker development. In this study, we sequenced, assembled, and analyzed the complete chloroplast genomes of two endemic species from Uzbekistan, Astragalus nuratensis and Oxytropis pseudorosea. Genome skimming generated high-quality paired-end reads, enabling the recovery of complete plastomes with mean sequencing depths of 638× and 1,725×, respectively. The chloroplast genomes were 122,316 bp in A. nuratensis and 122,708 bp in O. pseudorosea. Both genomes encoded 110 unique genes, including 76 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. Consistent with members of the inverted repeat-lacking clade of Fabaceae, both species lacked the typical inverted repeat regions, resulting in a single-copy genome structure. Phylogenetic analysis based on 119 complete chloroplast genomes resolved major lineages within Astragalus and related genera with strong support. Astragalus nuratensis was placed within the Phaca clade, while Oxytropis pseudorosea formed part of a distinct Oxytropis lineage. These results provide new genomic resources for understanding evolutionary relationships and plastome evolution in Central Asian legumes.

Genome, Chloroplast↗
PubMed2005

Effects of beta-glucan obtained from the Chinese herb Astragalus membranaceus and lipopolysaccharide challenge on performance, immunological, adrenal, and somatotropic responses of weanling pigs.

A total of 108 crossbred piglets (7.75 +/- 0.24 kg of BW) weaned at 28 d was used to study the interactive effects of beta-glucan obtained from the Chinese herb Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge on performance, immunological, adrenal, and somatotropic responses of weaned pigs. The treatments were in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement; main effects were level of Astragalus membranaceus glucan (AMG; 0, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg; as-fed basis) and presence of immunological challenge (with or without LPS). The experiment included six replicate pens per treatment and three pigs per pen. Lipopolysaccharide challenges were conducted on d 7 and 21 of the trial. Blood samples were obtained from the vena cava from one pig per pen at 3 h after LPS challenge to determine plasma responses. Weight gain and feed:gain ratio were unaffected by glucan. However, there was a quadratic effect on feed intake (P < 0.05): pigs fed 500 mg of glucan/kg had the highest feed intake. Immunological challenge with LPS decreased weight gain (P = 0.02). An interaction (P = 0.01 to 0.09) between AMG and LPS was observed for glucose, IL-1beta, PGE2, and cortisol. Astragalus membranaceus glucan had a quadratic effect on the plasma concentrations of glucose, IL-1beta, PGE2, and cortisol (P < 0.05) after both LPS challenges. Plasma concentrations of glucose, IL-1beta, PGE2, and cortisol (P < 0.05) were all increased in LPS-challenged pigs compared with the control pigs after both LPS challenges. The IGF-I concentrations were less for LPS-challenged pigs than for unchallenged pigs. The lymphocyte proliferation response of peripheral blood induced by 5 microg of concanavalin A/mL (P < 0.01) and IL-2 bioactivity (P < 0.05) increased linearly with increasing addition of glucan. Pigs challenged with LPS had greater T-lymphocyte proliferation (P = 0.06) and IL-2 bioactivity (P = 0.07) than unchallenged pigs after the first immunological challenge but not after the second. In conclusion, although glucan did not improve pig performance under the conditions of the present experiment, when included at 500 mg/kg, it decreased the release of inflammatory cytokine and corticosteroid and improved the lymphocyte proliferation response of weanling piglets via enhanced IL-2 bioactivity.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[The effect of herbal medicine including astragalus membranaceus (fisch) bge, codonpsis pilosula and glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch on airway responsiveness].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of astragalus membranceus(fisch) bge, codonpsis pilosula and glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch on airway responsiveness. METHOD: FVC, FEV1 and PEF of twenty-eight asthmatic patients were measured before and six weeks after treated with Astragalus membranceus(fisch) bge, codonpsis pilosual and glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch; methacholine challenge test with 0.033 mumol and 1.98 mumol. RESULT: After 28 asthmatic patients received the treatment of those herbs, the results showed that FVC value increased obviously (t = 2.217, P < 0.05) and the value of FEV1 and PEF was all higher compared with before treatment of the herbs (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The herbal medicine including astragalus memberanaceus (fisch) bge, codonpsis pilosual and glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch can decrease the airway responsiveness of the patients with asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[Therapeutic effect of Astragalus and Angelica on renal injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Astragalus and Angelica on acute renal injury. METHODS: Using the ischemia/reperfusion model established by blocking blood flow through clamping of bilateral renal artery for 45 min, the changes of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow (RPF), fractional excretion of sodium (FENa), urinary volume (UV) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) as well as the morphological change of kidney before and after ischemia/reperfusion were observed. RESULTS: Astragalus and Angelica could promote recovery of RPF and GFR after ischemia/reperfusion, prevent the oliguria or shorten the oliguria period, reduce the increment of FENa and improve the histomorphological injury of kidney. CONCLUSION: Astragalus and Angelica have certain effect in protecting kidney from acute renal injury.

Angelica sinensis↗
PubMed2002

[Clinical study on effect of Astragalus in efficacy enhancing and toxicity reducing of chemotherapy in patients of malignant tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Astragalus membranaceus efficacy enhancing and toxicity reducing on chemotherapy in patients of malignant tumor. METHODS: One hundred and twenty tumor patients were randomly divided into the treated group and the control group. Both groups were treated with chemotherapy, but to the treated group, Astragalus injection was given additionally by intravenous dripping, 20 ml in 250 ml of normal saline once per day for 21 days as one course and 4 courses were given successively. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the treated group showed a lower progressive incidence, lesser decrease of peripheral WBC and platelet count (P < 0.05), accompanied with CD8 significantly lowered (P < 0.05), CD4/CD8 ratio significantly increased (P < 0.01), IgG and IgM levels raised (P < 0.05) and Karnofsky scores elevated more than those in the control group. IgA level was unchanged in both groups. CONCLUSION: Astragalus injection supplemented with chemotherapy could inhibit the development of tumor, decrease the toxic-adverse effect of chemotherapy, elevate the immune function of organism and improve the quality of life in patients.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed2003

[Experimental study on effect of Astragalus extractum on canine isolated kidney during hypothermia perfusion and preservation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Astragalus Extractum on canine isolated kidney during hypothermia perfusion and preservation. METHODS: Isolated kidneys in the control group were hypothermia perfused and preserved using conventional hypertonic adenine citrate solution (HC-A), and for those in the experimental group, using HC-A plus Astragalus extract instead. The changes of renal tissue construction were observed with light microscopy and electron microscopy. Moreover, the kidney transplantation model of dog was established to determine the changes of biochemical parameters before and after transplantation. Data were analysed synthetically. RESULTS: The ultrastructural injury in preserved kidney of the experimental group was significantly milder than that in the control group. Parameters determined in the early stage of transplantation showed that the blood creatinine level was significantly lower and the endogenous creatinine clearing value was higher in the experimental group than that in the control group, the difference was significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: When Astragalus extractum is used in preserving kidney with hypothermia perfusion, it shows definite protective effect on the ischemic reperfusion injured kidney.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

[Prevention of Rhodiola-astragalus membranaceus compounds against simulated plateau hypoxia brain injury in rat].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the protective effects of Rhodiola-astragalus membranaceus mixture against brain damage during hypoxia under simulated plateau environment and the mechanisms maybe involved in. METHOD: Adult SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, which were normoxic control, simulated plateau hypoxia, and Rhodiola-astragalus membranaceus mixture pretreatment group. Rats in the latter two groups were exposed to simulated 8000 m altitude in a hypobaric chamber for 7 h. Water content, Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity and SOD activity in cerebral tissue, malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactic acid content in cerebral homogenate and serum were measured. RESULT: As compared with control group, cerebral water content was significantly higher in hypoxia group, while it was obviously lower in pretreatment group. MDA contents of hypoxia group both in cerebral homogenate and serum were higher than that of control group, while the pretreatment group they were both decreased obviously. Lactic acid content of hypoxia group in cerebral and in serum increased markedly and decreased drastically in pretreatment group compared to that of hypoxic group. CONCLUSION: Rhodiola-astragalus membranaceus mixture has preventive effects on hypoxic damage induced by simulated plateau environment. This prevention may be related to the antagonistic effect on membrane lipid peroxidation and the inhibition on the accumulation of lactic acid in brain tissue and serum.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2005

[Quick optimization of high performance liquid chromatographic conditions for separation of flavones of Astragalus].

An analytical method for flavones of Astragalus has been developed and a process of high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) condition optimization has been elaborated. The LC retention parameters of 34 components were obtained quickly by using three linear gradient elutions. Overlapping separation range map (OSRM), which is related to the separation quality and the analysis time, was utilized to search the optimised stepwise gradient method for HPLC analysis of flavones of Astragalus. Finally, the optimised stepwise gradient elution conditions were set up with the help of this map. Under the optimised conditions, the sample of flavones of Astragalus was well separated in reasonable time. The method is more convenient than that using a series of isocratic elutions.

Astragalus Plant↗
PubMed2006

[Effects of astragalus polysaccharides-chitosan/polylactic acid scaffolds and bone marrow stem cells on repairing supra-alveolar periodontal defects in dogs].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of astragalus polysaccharides-chitosan/polylactic acid (AP-C/PLA) scaffolds and bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) on periodontal regeneration of experimentally horizontal periodontal defects in dogs. METHODS: Dog BMSCs were isolated from the bone marrow and then cultured in a conditioned medium to be induced for osteogenesis. The expressions of Type I collagen and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were examined by immunohistochemistry and histochemistry in the induced BMSCs, respectively. The BMSCs were harvested and implanted with astragalus polysaccharides-chitosan/polylactic acid (AP-C/PLA) and chitosan/polylactic acid (C/PLA) scaffolds. Horizontal alveolar bone defects (5 mm depth, 2 mm width) were produced surgically in the buccal side of the mandibular premolar 3 and 4 of the 10 dogs. The defects were randomly repaired with a cell-scaffold construction (10 teeth per group): root planning only (surgical control), AP-C/PLA with a conditioned medium (medium control), C/PLA with BMSCs (scaffolds control), and AP-C/PLA with BMSCs (experimental group) . The dogs were killed at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the surgery, and block sections of the defects were collected for the histologic and histometric analysis. RESULTS: BMSCs induced in vitro exhibited an osteogenic phenotype with expressing Type I collagen and ALP histologically. The bone nodule structure was observed in the experimental group 4 weeks postsurgically. The engineered bone became more mature,similar to the native bone 8 weeks postsurgically. The amount of new bone regeneration and the rate of new bone filling to the defect height of the experimental group were significantly different from those of the surgical control, medium control, and scaffolds control [(2.90+/-0.41) mm vs (0.83+/-0.30) mm, (1.46+/-0.55) mm, (2.67+/-0.26) mm; 57.46% vs 15.68 %, 30.13%, 51.87%)] (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Astragalus polysaccharides can promote the new bone formation on the periodontal defects. The technology of tissue engineering with AP-C/PLA scaffolds and induced BMSCs may contribute to the periodontal regeneration.

Alveolar Bone Loss↗
PubMed2000

Numerical analysis of Astragalus cicer microsymbionts.

Thirty-seven rhizobium strains, isolated from root nodules of Astragalus cicer (L.) (cicer milkvetch) deriving from different geographic regions, were compared with the representative strains of the known rhizobial species and genera by numerical analysis of phenotypic characteristics. Our results indicated that Astragalus cicer rhizobia were related to the bacteria of Mesorhizobium species and formed two major phena. One phenon, localized on Mesorhizobium loti branch, contained strains from Poland. Another cluster, placed in the vicinity of M. tianshanense, M. mediterraneum, M. ciceri, and M. huakuii, comprised cicer milkvetch nodule isolates from Canada, Ukraine, and one strain from Poland. The relationship of Astragalus cicer microsymbionts to bacteria of the Mesorhizobium species was also supported by phage typing.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2001

The sterols of Astragalus species from Iran: GLC separation and quantification.

This paper presents the content and composition of free sterols in a number of Astragalus species from Iran. Free sterols of roots and seeds were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively by gas-liquid chromatography. Four major 3-beta-hydroxysterols (cholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol) were identified in roots of 18 species and in seeds of five species of Astragalus. beta-Sitosterol was the main free sterol in both roots and seeds. The cholesterol content in seeds was higher than that in roots. Trace amounts of cholesterol were detected in roots of only four species. beta-Sitosterol accounted for 34.4-69.2 and 76.8-81.8% of the total lipid content in roots and seeds, respectively. The beta-sitosterol content in roots and seeds of Astragalus species varied from 6.3 to 35.7 and 93.3 to 164.5mg/100g dry weight, respectively. Total free sterol content in seeds varied from 112.09 to 204.04mg/100g dry weight, significantly higher than those in roots (7.5 to 43.4mg/100g dry weight). The chemotaxonomic values of free sterols and total lipid profiles of some of the representative species are discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Symbiosis of Astragalus cicer with its microsymbionts: partial nodC gene sequence, host plant specificity, and root nodule structure.

Astragalus cicer (cicer milkvetch) nodule bacteria were investigated for host plant specificity and partial nodC gene sequences, whilst their native host was studied for the microscopic structure of root nodules. The strains under investigation formed nodules not only on the original host but also on Astragalus glycyphyllos, Astragalus sinicus, Lotus corniculatus, and Phaseolus vulgaris. The nodules induced on the cicer milkvetch were classified as indeterminate and characterized by apical, persistent meristem, a large bacteroid region with infected and uninfected cells, and elongated bacteroids singly located inside peribacteroid membranes. By comparison of the partial nodC gene sequences of a representative strain of astragali rhizobia to those contained in the GenBank database, a close symbiotic relationship of A. cicer microsymbionts to Rhizobium sp. (Oxytropis) was found.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2000

Improved bootstrap confidence limits in large-scale phylogenies, with an example from Neo-Astragalus (Leguminosae).

Phylogenetic analyses of large data sets pose special challenges, including the apparent tendency for the bootstrap support for a clade to decline with increased taxon sampling of that clade. We document this decline in data sets with increasing numbers of taxa in Astragalus, the most species-rich angiosperm genus. Support for one subclade, Neo-Astragalus, declined monotonically with increased sampling of taxa inside Neo-Astragalus, irrespective of whether parsimony or neighbor-joining methods were used or of which particular heuristic search algorithm was used (although more stringent algorithms tended to yield higher support). Three possible explanations for this decline were examined, including (1) mistaken assignment of the most recent common ancestor of the taxon sample (and its bootstrap support) with the most recent common ancestor of the clade from which it was sampled; (2) computational limitations of heuristic search strategies; and (3) statistical bias in bootstrap proportions, especially that from random homoplasy distributed among taxa. The best explanation appears to be (3), although computational shortcomings (2) may explain some of the problem. The bootstrap proportion, as currently used in phylogenetic analysis, does not accurately capture the classical notion of confidence assessments on the null hypothesis of nonmonophyly, especially in large data sets. More accurate assessments of confidence as type I error levels (relying on iterated bootstrap methods) remove most of the monotonic decline in confidence with increasing numbers of taxa.

Algorithms↗